Family

Code 4

Code 6

ITIS

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

The Nanday Parakeet, though mostly green, is considered a pest in areas where wild forms of the species frequent open pastures and stockyards. Their native land is South America, including southeastern Bolivia, southwest Brazil, central Paraguay and northern Argentina. They feed on seeds, fruit, palm nuts, berries, flowers and plant buds. Some colonies have been released in certain areas of California and Florida, and are self-sustaining. They craft their nesting area in holes of trees, and frequent wooded areas for this purpose. An intelligent species, the Nanday Parakeet is also a popular pet. Currently, its conservation status is Least Concern.

Nanday Parakeet SONGS AND CALLS

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

INTERESTING FACTS

A prehistoric relative, Nandayus vorohuensis, was described from Late Pliocene fossils found in Argentina.

Fearing the birds may escape and become feral agricultural pests, the state of Tennessee bans the keeping of Nanday Parakeets as well as Monk Parakeets.

The Nanday Parakeet is also known as the Black-hooded Parakeet or Nanday Conure. They are probably the next exotic species that will become widely established in Florida.

A group of parakeets is collectively known as a "chatter" and a "flock" of parakeets.

SIMILAR BIRDS

RANGE MAP NORTH AMERICA

About this North America Map

This map shows how this species is distributed across North America.

FAMILY DESCRIPTION

Lories, Parakeets, Macaws and Parrots (Psittacidae)

ORDER

The taxonomic order PSITTACIFORMES (pronounced sit-uh-suh-FORM-eez) is composed of three families; the cockatoos, New Zealand parrots such as the Kea, and parakeets and parrots.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

The Psittacidae (pronounced sit-UH-suh-dee), a family of nearly worldwide occurrence, includes three hundred and forty-eight species of parrots and parakeets in seventy-seven genera.

NORTH AMERICA

Fifty-four species of parrots and parakeets in fifteen genera have been recorded in North America (including two extinct species, the Carolina Parakeet and Cuban Macaw).

KNOWN FOR

Lories, parakeets, macaws and parrots are known for their distinctive bill shape, intelligence, and popularity as pets. The Yellow-headed Parrot is especially popular in this regard as it readily learns to repeat human speech. Unfortunately, this trait has made it such a popular cage bird that wild populations have become highly endangered because of capture for the pet trade.

PHYSICAL

Lories, parakeets, macaws and parrots are medium to large in size while parakeets are generally smaller. Although all share a short, sharply decurved bills, and have fairly short legs with strong “zygodactyl” toes (two facing forward and two facing backward), the overall shape of these birds differs considerably among groups. For example, the macaws and parakeets sport long, pointed tails and wings, while most of the parrots have square-shaped, short or medium length tails and fairly broad wings.

COLORATION

Lories, parakeets, macaws and parrots are colorful birds with predominately green plumage. Red and yellow patches are often found on the heads, wings, and tails, while some species also have blue or gray coloration.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

In the United States and Canada, most members of this family occur as populations that escaped from captivity. Most of these persist in cities with mild climates and fruiting plants (many of which are also introduced species) that provide them with food. Wild parrots and parakeets from Mexico may be found in populations of Red-crowned and Green Parakeets in southern Texas, and occasional vagrant Thick-billed Parrots in the pine forests of southern Arizona and New Mexico.

MIGRATION

In North America, lories, parakeets, macaws and parrots are non-migratory.

HABITS

Lories, parakeets, macaws and parrots are highly social birds typically occurring in flocks. They form strong pair bonds with individual pairs often discernible even when associating with other birds. Members of this family use their strong bills to crack open seeds and feed on fruits. When searching for fruiting and seeding trees, parrots and parakeets fly high overhead, giving frequent screeching vocalizations. Upon flying into a tree, though, they go quiet and seem to “disappear” as their green plumage blends in with the foliage.

CONSERVATION

Several members of this family are endangered in various parts of the world due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade. The Red-crowned Parrot falls into this category; although not threatened in Texas, it is highly endangered in Mexico.

INTERESTING FACTS

The only two naturally occurring members of this family found north of Mexico were the Carolina Parakeet and the Thick-billed Parrot. Despite an astonishingly large population, the parakeet went extinct due to over-hunting and the parrot was extirpated in North America in the early twentieth century because of both hunting and habitat loss. Despite reintroduction efforts, the Thick-billed Parrot hasn’t been able to reestablish itself in Arizona, and Mexican populations of this species remain threatened by habitat loss.